Table-fastener.



No. 709,581. Patented $ept. 23, I902.

J NEUMUELLER TABLE FASTENER.

(Applet nfildFb 24 1902 (No Model.)

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%%72 by v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NEUMUELLER, OF JANESVILLE, WVISCONSIN.

TAB LE-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,581, dated September 23, 11902.

Application filed February 24, 1902. Serial No. 95,387. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN NEUMUELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at J anesville, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Table-Fastener, of which the following is a specifioation.

This invention relates to extension-table attachments, and has for its object the production of a device whereby the removable table-leaves may be locked to the table-frame and means provided whereby they may be manually released when the leaves are to be removed and the individual leaves independently coupled, as hereinafter shown and described, and then specifically pointed out in the claim.

The invention may be employed in connection with any of the various forms of extension-tables; but for the purpose of illustration I bar e shown it applied to a table of ordinary construction.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view, partially in section, with the improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a portion of a table with the improvement in position on the leaves.

The table-frame is represented at 5, the legs at 6, and the end portions at 7 and 8, respectively. The removable intermediate leaves are shown at 9 and 10 of the usual constrnction and supported upon the usual form of slides 11.

Pivotally attached to the framework 5 is a lever 12, being supported by a hanger 13,with a long end extending toward the end 8 of the table and curving downward, as shown at 14, and with a lip on the other end, adapted to engage a catch 16 upon the leaves 9 or 10. The lip 15 is inclined on its upper face, so that as the end 8 is forced inward the lip will automatically engage the catch, as will be readily understood. The longer curved end of the lever 12 will be of sufficieut weight to hold the lipped end normally upward and maintain it in position to automatically engage the catch; but a spring may be connected to actuate the lever, if preferred.

Attached slidably upon a bracket 17, beneath the table, is arod 18, having a spur 19 on one end,engaging the under side of the curved end 14 of the lever 12, and with a hand-grip 20 on the other end, the rod thus adapted to actuate the lever when drawn outward. The rod 18 thus coacts with the downwardly-curved portion 14L of the lever 12 to elevate the longer end and depress the shorter end and release the lip 15 from the catch 16 when required. By this simple device the first removable leaf 9 of the table will be locked to the tableframe when the table is closed at the time of the insertion of the leaves.

Each of the leaves 9 10 or as many as may be employed will be provided near one edge with one of the catches 16, and one of these catches will also be attached near the inner edge of the end 7, as shown, so that any leaf which may be for the time being adjacent to the end 8 will be automatically locked in. position. Each of the removable leaves will also be provided with a lever 21, pivoted at 22, and each with a lip 23, inclined on the upper side and adapted to engage the catch 16 on the adjacent leaf or the end 7, as the case may be. The levers 21 are like the lever 12 and work in the same manner, except that they do not require the curved end 14, as they are to be actuated manually. It will be noticed that the ends of these levers which are to be grasped by the operator are extended almost to the edges of the leaves, which are provided with the catches 16 and are therefore accessible without the necessity of reaching under the leaves in order to remove the same. When the table is thus equipped,if the two ends 7 and 8 only are to be employed and none of the removable leaves inserted the two ends will be forced together by collapsing the slides 11 until the lip 15 on the lever 12 engages the catch 16 on the end 7. If one leaf only is to be inserted, the lip 23 on its lever-21 willengage the catch 16 on the end 7, and then when the end 8 is forced forward the lip 15 on its lever 12 will engage the catch 16 on the inserted leaf and lock the whole together. If other leaves are inserted, the lip 23 on each lever 21 of each leaf will in turn engage the catch on the adjacent leaf, and the last leaf will be engaged by the lever 12 on the end 8, as before stated. By this means all the leaves and ends will'be locked automatically as the table is closed. Then the leaves are to be removed, a single slight pull on the rod 18 will operate the lever 12 and release the first leaf, and then the other leaves can easily be released inturn by operating the levers 21 consecutively by hand, as they will then be easily reachable from above. This makes a very simple, cheap, and easily operated and applied device, which is very effective for the purpose for which it is intended.

If preferred, the various levers may be arranged to operate horizontally or close to the under sides of the table or the leaves or modified in any other of the minor particulars without departing from the spirit of my invent 11.

Having thus described my invention, I olaian- In an extension-table, the combination with the separable end members provided respectively with a catch-lip and with a suitablyoperated catch-lever, of intermediate leaves adapted to be inserted between said end members, each of said leaves being provided on its under side with a catch-lip located near one of its edges, a bearing located near the edge opposite to that having said catch-lip, and a catch-lever mounted pivotally in said bearing, adapted to engage the lip of the ad jacent leaf, and having its operating end extended nearly to the edge of the leaf supporting said lever which is provided with a catch-lip, whereby the operating end of said lever is rendered accessible Without necessity of reaching under the leaf, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN NEUMUELLER. 

